RIZAL- MIDTERMS
LEARNING CONTENT:
STUDIES IN LONDON (1888-1889)
Trip across the Atlantic
After visiting the United States, Rizal boarded the S.S. City Of
Rome en route to London. While on board, he entertained the
American and European passengers with his skill of the yoyo.
He was to stay in London from May 1888 to March 1889
Why did he choose to stay in London?
1. To improve his knowledge of the English language
2. To study and annotate Antonio de Morga’s Sucesos de
Las Islas Filipinas
3. London was a safe place for him to carry out his fight
against Spanish tyranny
He reached Queenstown in Ireland on May 24, 1888. From there,
he embarked on a ferry boat going to Liverpool, England and
stayed at Adelphi Hotel.
By train he arrived at London on May 25, 1888. Upon his arrival,
he stopped at Grand Hotel Midland.
He stayed, as a guest, at the home of Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor an
1872 exile and a practicing lawyer. He transferred to a private
home in No. 37 Chalcot Crescent, Primrose Hill. This is owned by
the Beckett Family.
Mr. Beckett, an organist of St. Paul’s Church and Mrs. Beckett had
4 daughters (Gertrude, Blanche, Flory and Grace) and 2 sons.
Rizal came to know Dr. Reinhold Rost through a letter from Dr.
Ferdinand Blumentritt. He was the Librarian of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs. Dr. Rost was an Authority on Malayan language
and customs. He called Rizal “a pearl of a man” as he was
impressed by his learning and character
Bad News from Home
1. After Rizal left the country, the persecution of the
Filipino patriots who signed the Anti-Friar Petition 1888
escalated. The Calamba Agrarian Conflict of 1888 in
which the tenants, including Rizal’s family, were being
persecuted by the Dominicans.
2. Manuel T. Hidalgo (husband of Saturnina) was exiled to
Bohol while Mariano Herbosa (husband of Lucia) was
denied of Christian burial because of the malicious
rumor that he had not confessed since marriage.
3. Laureano Viado, a medical student at UST and a friend
of Rizal, was imprisoned because of owning a copy of
Noli Me Tangere.
Good News from Home
1. Revicente Garcia defended the Noli Me Tangere against
the attack of the friars. He heard this news from
Mariano Ponce. On January 7, 1891, Rizal wrote to
Father Garcia expressing his personal gratitude.
Short Visit to Paris and Spain
Early in September 1888, Rizal visited Paris for a week in order to
search for more historical materials in the Bibliotheque Nationale.
On December 11, 1888, Rizal went to Madrid and Barcelona in
Spain to meet with Marcelo H. Del Pilar and Mariano Ponce
Christmas in London
Rizal returned to London on December 24, 1888 and spent
Christmas and New Year’s Eve with the Becketts. He was
extremely delighted to experience the holiday season. He
reflected on the meaning of the holiday as it reminded him of
memorable days not just from his childhood but also from history.
“How it shocks me to see some people misuse His name to
commit many crimes.”
Rizal sent to Blumentritt as a Christmas gift a bust of Emperor
Augustus which he had made. As another present, he sent to Dr.
Carlos Czepelak a bust of Julius Caesar. Mrs. Beckett, knowing of
his interest in magic, gave Rizal a book entitled “The Life and
Adventures of Valentine Vox, the Ventriloquist.”
Annotating Morga’s Book
• Annotating and studying the Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas (1609)
was the main goal of Rizal in the English capital. Antonio De
Morga. Annotate means to supply with critical or explanatory
notes; comment upon in notes.
• Antonio Pigafetta Chronicler of the Magellan expedition
• Gaspar De San Agustin Conquista de Las islas Filipinas
• Other Historical Accounts. All three mentioned about early
Filipino Life and Industry
 Early Filipinos already engaged in trade with
other Asian nations
 The dominant religion of Manila and Visayan
town was Islam.
 There was already a government
Aims of La Solidaridad
1. To establish reform for our country
2. To show the unfortunate conditions in the Philippines
committed by the Spaniards
3. To promote free and progressive ideas
4. To implement the patriotic vision of the Filipinos
Rizal published his work Los Agricultores Filipinos (The Filipino
Farmers) on March 25, 1889, 6 days after he left London for Paris.
This was his first article in La Solidaridad.
Rizal received news on Fray Rodriguez’s attack on his novel Noli
Me Tangere. He wrote a pamphlet entitled La Vision del Fray
Rodriguez which was published in Barcelona under his pen name
Dimas-Alang.
Letter to the Young Women of Malolos
• In this article, Rizal addressed Filipino women to work for their
education and not to merely be influenced by the friars.
• Dr. Rost, editor of Trubners’ Record, a journal devoted to Asian
studies, requested Rizal to contribute some articles. Rizal
submitted (1) Specimen of Tagala Folklore and (2) Two Eastern
Fables.
 RIZAL- MIDTERMS
• By unanimous vote of all the members, Rizal was chosen to be
the president of society called Asociacion La Solidaridad.
Goodbye, London
Rizal was forced to leave London because Gertrude’s love for him
has become serious. He could not take advantage of her affection
and she would not be happy because Rizal was still in love with
Leonor Rivera. He decided to move to Paris so she would forget
about her.
Before leaving London, Rizal finished four sculptural works:
a. Prometheus Bond
b. The Triumph of Death over Life
c. A composite carving of the heads
of the Beckett sisters (gave as
farewell gift to the Beckett sisters)
d. The Triumph of Science over
Death
On March 19, 1889, Rizal departed for Paris. He was sad as he
crossed the English Channel for he had many beautiful memories
of London.
B. THE PARIS UNIVERSAL EXPOSITION (1889)
The Exposition Universale Held in Paris, France from May 6 to
October 31, 1889. The fair attracted exhibits from Europe, South
America, United States, and French colonies, yet it really was a
celebration of French achievements on the centennial of French
Revolution. Because of the thousands of tourists, almost all hotel
accommodations were taken.
But he finally lived together with other Filipinos, Justo Trinidad
and Jose Albert. In the exposition, there was this International Art
Competition where Felix Hidalgo won the 3rd prize, Pardo de
Tavera and Juan Luna won the 2nd prize, and, unfortunately, Rizal
got nothing.
He spent his time in Bibliotheque Nationale, reading and checking
with his historical annotations of Morga’s book. He visited his
friends like the Boustead’s, Luna’s, Tavera’s, etc. He also organized
societies with his fellow Filipinos.
Kidlat Club
The Kidlat Club was founded on March 19, 1889. The purpose was
to enjoy their journey in the exposition.
It was called Kidlat because this was only a temporary group. The
members include Antonio and Juan Luna, Gregorio Aguilera,
Fernando Canon, Lauro Dimayuga, Julio Llorente, Guillermo Puatu,
and Baldomero Roxas. Later, the group’s name was changed to
Indios Bravos which purpose was to stand and not be ashamed of
being called Indios.
William Frederick Cody a.k.a. Buffalo Bill, founder and performer
of Wild West shows Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show in 1890 which
presented the skills and life of American Indians became the
inspiration of Rizal in naming his one societal club as Indios
Bravos.
Another group known only as R.D.L.M. which stands for
Redencion de Los Malayos was also formed. Its purposes were: (a)
to propagate useful knowledge, in any forms, in the Philippines;
and (2) to promote the redemption of Malayan race. This group’s
members don’t know each other, and Rizal doesn’t know them as
well. It’s still a mystery. * Mentioned in the letters of Rizal to Jose
Maria Basa on Sept. 21, 1889, and to Marcelo H. Del Pilar on
November 4, 1889
Annotated Edition of Morga’s book
Although this was an outstanding achievement of Rizal, there
were still some errors:
1. Commits the error in appraising the history of the past in
the light of the present standard
2. Rizal’s attacks of the church were unfair and unjustified
because the abuses should not be construed to mean
the Catholic is bad.
Plan to Establish Filipino College in Hong Kong
Rizal planned to establish a Filipino College in Hong Kong. The
purpose was to educate men of good family and financial means.
Mariano Cunanan promised to raise P40, 000 as initial payment
for this college.
Its curriculum consists of: Ethics, Study of Religion, Natural Law,
Civil law, Deportment, Hygiene, Mathematics, Physics and
Chemistry, Natural History, Geography, Political Economy,
Universal History, Philippine History, Logic, Rhetoric, Poetics
Spanish, English, French, German, Chinese, Tagalog Gymnastics,
Equitation, Fencing, Swimming, Music, Drawing and Dancing.
Rizal had been coming back and forth from Paris to London, then
Paris at last, with his aim to check up or compare on his
annotation of Morga’s book to its original copy found in British
museum. (January 1890)
C. LIFE IN BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
On January 28, 1890, Rizal left Paris for Brussels, Belgium. Two
reasons why Rizal left Paris:
 The cost of living in Paris was very high
because of the Universal Exposition.
 The gay social life of the city hampered his
literary works, especially the writing of his
second novel El Filibusterismo.
While in Brussels, he lived in Rue Philippe run by 2 Jacoby sisters
(Suzanne and Marie). He was busy writing El Fili and articles for
the La Solidaridad. Despite of his European education and his
knowledge of foreign languages, Rizal loved his own native
language. He was the 1st to advocate to the Filipinization of our
letters c and o and use instead K and w.
Rizal received news from Juan Luna and Valentin Ventura, that
there are some Filipinos who were destroying the reputation of
Filipinos by gambling too much. Thus, he wrote a letter address to
Del Pilar, to remind the Filipinos in Madrid that they did not come
to Europe to gamble, but to work for their Fatherland’s freedom.
The gambling Filipinos were angry when they learned or Rizal’s
moralizing. They called him “PAPA” instead of Pepe.
Rizal received bad news from home as follows:
1. Paciano and his brother-in-law were deported to Mindoro
 RIZAL- MIDTERMS
nd
2. M. Hidalgo were vanished for the 2 time to Bohol

In his moment of despair Rizal had bad dreams. And although he

was not superstitious, he feared that he would not live long. But
he wanted to finish his 2nd novel El Fili before he went to his grave.

In his letter to MH Del Pilar he said: In my childhood I had a

strange belief that I would not reach 30 years of age In the face of
sufferings, Rizal planned to go home. All his friends objected to his
plan and warned him of the danger that awaited him at home.
Something happened that changed his decision and he informed
MH Del Pilar that he was going to Madrid to supervise the
handling of the case of his family in Calamba.

While in Brussels, he wrote a poem entitled “A Mi Musa” (to My

Muse) a pathetic poem, lack of exquisiteness. While he was
preparing for his trip to Madrid, two things brought some
measure of cheers. The summertime festival of Belgium, which
was celebrated in carnival style, with colourful costumes, fantastic
floats.

His romance with Petite Jacoby, the pretty niece of his landladies
Rizal was so charming and dignified gentleman that Suzanne was
attracted to him. He was lonely in a strange country and Leonor
Rivera was so far away. He found certain bliss in the company of a
pretty Belgian girl.

Like all the other girls in Rizal’s life, Suzanne fell in love with Rizal.
And she cried when he left for Madrid.

Articles Published in La Solidaridad:

1. La Defensa
2. La Verdad Para Todos
3. Vicente Barrantes
4. Profanacion
5. Verdades
6. Nuevas
7. Crueldad
8. Diferencias
9. Inconsequencias
10. Llanto y Risas
11. Ingratitudes